William Prescott

William Prescott was born in Groton, Massachusetts on February 20, 1726. Before the Revolution he was successively major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel in the militia, early in 1776 he was appointed a brigadier-general(Nathaniel Greene also reached the rank of Brigadier-general during the Revolution) of militia for the county of Middlesex. In 1774 he was appointed to command a regiment of minute-men, with which he marched, on 19 April, 1775, to Lexington, to oppose the expedition that was sent out by General Thomas Gage. Before Prescott arrived the British had retreated. The towns of Lexington and Concord were warned of the British attack by Paul Revere, Samuel Prescott, and William Dawes.They were told to warn Lexington and Concord by Dr. Joseph Warren and to ride from Boston to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams(Cousin of John Adams) of the movements of the British Army.

He was an American Colonel in the Revolutionary War who commanded the forces in the battle of Bunker Hill. His famous words at the battle were "Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes," he said this because they needed to conserve ammunition. A large British force commanded by General William Howe attacked the Colonists with three waves of troops, the first two failed to make the colonists retreat, but the third succeeded. After the battle, his militia unit was adopted into the newly created Continental Army which was led by Genral George Washington, and he was commissioned the colonel of what became the 7th Continental Regiment. The regiment was active in the battles for New York City in 1776 and the Saratoga Campaign of 1777. Benedict Arnold also served at Saratoga. Early in 1777(Before the Saratoga Campaign) he resigned and returned home, but in autumn of that year he joined the northern army under General Horatio Gates as a volunteer. Prescott was present at the surrender of General Burgoyne after Saratoga as was Colonel Daniel Morgan, and Horatio Gates.

I believe that William Prescott should be recognized more for what he did, because many people probably don't know much about him. I think he should have a holiday to celebrate for him like when we celebrate Martin Luther King day.